Florida Sen. Rubio preaches 'American Dream' to state GOP

NEW CASTLE — Florida Sen. Marco Rubio did not say he planned on being a candidate for president when he spoke to Republicans Friday night, but he was vocal about what he thinks is wrong with the present government and what he would do to fix those issues.

Comment

By Karen Dandurant

seacoastonline.com

By Karen Dandurant

Posted May. 9, 2014 at 10:53 PM
Updated May 9, 2014 at 10:59 PM

By Karen Dandurant

Posted May. 9, 2014 at 10:53 PM
Updated May 9, 2014 at 10:59 PM

» Social News

NEW CASTLE — Florida Sen. Marco Rubio did not say he planned on being a candidate for president when he spoke to Republicans Friday night, but he was vocal about what he thinks is wrong with the present government and what he would do to fix those issues.

Rubio spoke to a who's who of state Republicans, both those in office and those seeking election, at a New Hampshire Republican Committee fund-raiser at the Wentworth By The Sea hotel in New Castle.

When former Governor John E. Sununu introduced Rubio, he called him a “Ronald Reagan Republican.”

“In fact, when speaking to him, I learned that he was truly inspired by that great Republican,” said Sununu.

U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-NH, had been scheduled to introduce Rubio. Her flight from Washington, D.C. was cancelled and she could not make it, said Rockingham County Chairwoman Regina Birdsell.

Portsmouth's Honorable Ruth Griffin, a major voice in state politics, said two her sons told her Rubio was a good candidate. Before the event, she said she had never met him before but she was anxious to hear what he had to say.

Griffin did not want to predict who the party's candidate will be in 2016, but did say she was curious to see what Florida Governor Jeb Bush was going to do.

Rubio, 42, has been the junior U.S. Sen. in Florida since 2011, and was previously Speaker of the House of Representatives. His parents came to the U.S. from Cuba. Rubio lives in Florida with his wife, Jeanette, and their four children.

A big part of Rubio's speech centered on restoring the opportunity for everyone to achieve the “American Dream.”

“I know my success is an affirmation to my parents that what they did mattered, but it is also a testament to America,” said Rubio. “I want to preserve that opportunity and I believe it's worth fighting for. We want to leave our children a country where the son of a bartender and a maid can be whatever they want to be.”

One thing standing in the way of that, said Rubio, is the Democratic government, ruled by taxes, spending and too many regulations that prevent the average person from achieving their dreams.

Rubio is an outspoken opponent of Obamacare.

“They took a health care problem where 60-75 percent of the population already had health insurance and disrupted it for everyone instead of addressing the people who did not have insurance,” said Rubio. “The result was people tossed out of their health plans, losing their doctors. There will be a revolt against this plan and I predict New Hampshire will be a part of it.”

The room full of Republicans applauded.

Wayne Semprini, who has served for 33 years as town moderator for New Castle, had met Rubio before and said he likes him.

“He is engaging and I like his message,” said Semprini. “I have grown much more moderate in the area of immigration and I think he has a pretty good grasp on what needs to be done in that area. I think he is willing to stand up to the tough issues.”

In a moment of levity, Rubio played off of the recent media interest in his drinking from a bottle of water in the middle of a speech.

“Go ahead, have your laugh now,” he said as he took a sip of water.

Birdsell said his campaign has handled the joke with grace. She said at one point they were selling bottles of “Rubio water” at campaign events.